The Matchlighters Scholars Program

Advocating access for all.

 
 
What is Matchlighters?
At CEG, we believe in equal opportunity and access to higher education.
The Matchlighters Scholars Program pairs highly motivated students from low-income households with experienced college counselors. It's totally free and applying couldn't be easier.
 
 
Are you a counselor interested in volunteering? Learn more »
 
The Matchlighters Story
“I come from a single parent household, my father does not support us in any way at all and my mother has just recently been let go of due to financial struggles, but I would like to ask for your help. Please light a little match to guide me through this."
This is the email that started it all, back in 2015, from a student we'd never met before.
And, just like that, Matchlighters was born.
The Matchlighters Scholars Program connects generous and experienced college counselors with highly motivated students from low-income households across the country, to deliver college admissions help to those who need it most.
The scholarship offers 10 hours of one-on-one support in navigating the complex college admissions process — at no cost.
Many students have solid grades. They just need a little extra help. That's where we come in.
“Learning about the College Essay Guy and Matchlighters scholarship was life-changing for me. Slowly my confusion and anxiety about the application process disappeared — the kind support of your team allowed me to enjoy it and to learn from this process more than I could ever dream of.”

- Anastasia, Matchlighters Scholar



How to Apply
Step 1
Make Sure You Qualify
In order to qualify for the Matchlighters Scholarship program, you must meet the following requirements:
  • You're a US resident (undocumented students welcome). Unfortunately, we're not able to support international students at this time.
  • You're trying to get into college or graduate school. You could be a second-semester junior in high school, a senior in high school, a gap-year student, or even a part-time student working a job to support your family. No matter your story, if you're trying to get into college or graduate school, we've got a counselor for you.
  • You've earned a 3.0 unweighted GPA. You'll submit your high school transcripts as part of your application.
  • Your family income qualifies you for one of the following:
    - Free/reduced-price lunch
    - SAT/ACT fee waivers
    - Enrollment in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families.
    (If you're not sure whether you meet this requirement, check this income table to find out.)
  • You are motivated and ready to work.
Step 2
Complete the Application Form
Plan to spend 20 minutes or so filling it out. Also, make sure you have access to your high school transcripts as well as a document that proves your financial need.
If you meet the financial and academic requirements, you’ll be accepted.
Step 3
Complete Your Brainstorming Exercises
If you're accepted, you’ll receive an email with instructions for completing your essay brainstorming exercises.
Once you’ve done that, you'll send them back to us for review.
And that's all you have to do.
Based on the preferred start date listed on your application, you will be introduced to a professional counselor for 10 hours of virtual one-on-one support.
 
“I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to you for creating such a wonderful scholarship program. Without Matchlighters and my amazing counselor, I would have never been able to complete and compose such great essays that help me get admitted to Harvard, UPenn, Duke, JHU, Rice, and UCLA! I still cannot believe what happened this past month and all of that incredible news would not have been a reality without the Matchlighters program.”

- Khoa, Matchlighters Scholar

 
Here's where some of our Matchlighters scholars ended up
And here's what some of our Scholars have been up to

Meet the twins developing an indoor navigation app for the visually impaired

17-year-old twins, entrepreneurs and full-time high school students Alp and Mert Kanıbir, share their story.

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After Supreme Court ruling, college applicants still write about race

Walking the streets of England as a Latina teenager, Estefany Cepeda Fana recalled getting “weird looks” around town and even hearing someone call her the n-word.

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Nigerian teen gets 19 scholarship offers worth more than $5 million from the US and Canada

Victory Yinka-Banjo, a 17-year-old high school graduate, was offered more than $5 million dollars’ worth of scholarship money for an undergraduate program of study, according to admission documents and estimates of financial aid awards.

Read Article

Is Your College/University Interested in Meeting our Fabulous Scholars?
We are always happy to host a virtual information session, an interview night, or just make a connection with an incredible student.
Either send an email to erika@collegeessayguy.com or click below.
Lighting the Way
Meet some of our fabulous Matchlighter volunteers.
Shannon Bergeron
A program volunteer since 2020, Shannon quickly develops strong working partnerships with her Scholars, thanks to her warm and approachable demeanor. With 16 years of experience as a school counselor and leader, paired with her own journey as a first-generation college student, Shannon brings deep expertise and unique perspective to her student-centered partnerships.
The heart of her work is focused on creating a college going culture for all students, as well as breaking down barriers to accessing higher education. Shannon is a fierce advocate for all of her students, especially those who identify as transgender and nonbinary.
 
Jon
Dr. John Young
A veteran former teacher, longtime volunteer and former Matchlighters Scholars Coach, Dr. John is beloved by the many Scholars who have worked with him over the last five years. As the first male to earn a doctorate in Gifted Education from Columbia University Teachers College, Dr. John’s work is focused on supporting academically high-achieving adolescent Black males. With deep care and through powerful mentorship, he helps students to see the possibilities that lie ahead and guides them as they embark on this next stage of their academic journey.
What our Matchlighters are Saying
“I am a senior at Brooklyn Technical High School who has recently been enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania. I am writing this email to express my heartfelt gratitude for the scholarship program. This program is truly amazing, and I sincerely hope that you continue to support other students after me.”

— Anna Ye

“I am extremely excited to tell you that I was accepted by Cornell Early Decision, Computer Science in Cornell Engineering! I want to say thank you so so much from the bottom of my heart! Jane is an extremely helpful and responsible counselor. During my college application journey, she was with me the whole time, guiding me and answering all my questions (and I had a lot). Also, she is the best writing teacher! ”

— Janet Lou

“I am a student who has received the Matchlighters Scholarship and the 10 free sessions. I’m happy to say that I have received a full 4-year scholarship to Columbia University through Questbridge. I would like to thank Matchlighters for this incredible opportunity. Matchlighters truly changed my life and will forever remain in my heart.”

— Naima Islam

“Thank you for all the help both you personally and the Matchlighters Scholarship Program in general has been able to offer me. Without the meetings with my counselor, our meetings together when Natasha was away, and the resources that CEG provided virtually, I know that I would not have been as confident and successful in the entire application process.”

— Rushil Vashee

Matchlighter Scholarship Program FAQs
 
  • How do I know if I meet your financial requirement?

    Check out this table. You qualify if your income level is equal to or less than the number in the row for your household size. Or, if your family income qualifies you for one of the following: free/reduced-price lunch, SAT/ACT fee waivers, or enrollment in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families.

  • What does the application require?

    It’s a two-step process. First, you simply need to complete the application form — plan to spend 15 minutes or so filling it out. Also, make sure you have access to your high school transcripts as well as a document that proves your financial need. If you meet the financial and academic requirements, you’re accepted! For the second part of the application, you’ll receive an email with instructions for completing your essay brainstorming exercises. Once you’ve done that, and shared them with us, that's it!

  • Do I need to fill out the entire application? I just need essay feedback.

    Yes! The application process allows your counselor(s) to get to know you, your dreams, and preferences — all of which help them ask better questions and provide stronger essay feedback.

  • How do we meet with our counselors?

    Our counselors live and work in all corners of the globe. Mostly you’ll meet via a digital platform, like Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime. If you work better via phone, you can set up phone calls, or simply email and text. Choose a method or combination of methods that work for you both!

  • Will my counselor reach out to me first

    After we connect you and your counselor in an email, you should reach out directly to your counselor. Take the plunge! And commit to keeping in touch regularly with your counselor — they will do the same for you (and we love them for it!).

  • What other resources will be available to me as a scholar?

    You’ll receive access to any and all of Ethan’s essay-related resources — for free — including the Choose Your Own Adventure essay tool! And you'll find some of our favorite guides on the College Application Hub. Make it easy on yourself and bookmark this page now.